Brynne of the Insurgence
by Rigi
Summary: Brynne is a girl who's father was killed in an attack by people who want the former Britannia's return. After this, she obtains not only her father's treacherous research, but a strange and mysterious new power, giving her more than she bargained for.
1. Chapter 1

"All students of the Ashford Academy Annual Fieldtrip, please follow your respective instructors and stay close. We don't want to lose any of you, now would we?"

The cheer was evident, even masked by the buzz of the loudspeaker. Brynne Clavet smiled softly. Encased in the sheer excitement exuded by the entirety of the student body, her spirits had been thoroughly lifted. _Dad would have wanted you to be happy, right?_ she asked herself. Even so, it was getting to be a heavy burden. Besides this, she was determined to enjoy herself. It was a fieldtrip, anyway. How often did she get off school campus? Not all that often.

Every year, Principal Milly Ashford was determined to give the students three days of absolute nothing once spring began to appear. This nothing manifested itself as a set of activities, going from a festival, to a fieldtrip, to a school dance. It was the second day of festivities. This year, Ashford Academy was to visit the Royal Mausoleum, having been converted to somewhat of a museum when Empress Nunnally vi Britannia assumed rule seven years prior.

The Mausoleum itself was a spectacle to behold. Gleaming white marble as far as the eye could see; the careful handling of the presentation made it difficult to believe that it's conversion into a monument often visited by tourists wasn't the least bit morbid.

"Bry, snap out of it!"

"What…?"

Katie cocked her head to the side and giggled. "We have to get going, silly goose. Don't want the teacher on our case, do you?"

Pursing her lips, Brynne nodded. "I guess you're right." _Even so…_

Brynne was naturally anti-social, never one to engage in conversation willingly, or go out on a limb for another person. Her negativity towards her peers was a heavy, easily detectable aura that translated onto the other students as pretentiousness and arrogance, when in truth it was merely the unwillingness to confront. Despite this, a young and rather cheery first year student named Katie Hapsburg had insisted on tailing her throughout the school, campus, and even to her own home. Unable to turn the girl away, a friendship began to form, even if one-sided.

The class seemed to progress in a dull unison, every student more preoccupied with each past emperor's respective 'bling' than the actual relevance that they had to history. How dreary, it all was. Every single one of them was renowned for military prowess, or cunning on the battlefield. Was no one admirable for diplomacy?

Katie tugged at her arm, bringing her away from her thoughts. "Are you alright, Bry?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"Yeah, it's alright," Brynne responded. "We're almost to the end of this exhibit, right?" The Procession of the Emperors. Katie nodded.

Then, the young girl got a mischievous look in her eyes. "I heard that Her Royal Majesty Nunnally vi Britannia closes the Mausoleum every anniversary of her brother's death." Katie's face was pulled up in the grin of a gossiper, proud and secretive, as if the information that she shared was bad in the hands of the wrong person. This much wasn't true. Her nugget of knowledge was well known.

Brynne frowned. "What of it?" she asked, only to receive a passive shrug. _Just a ploy to pull me out of this funk, was it? So caring, a gentle soul in truth_. After receiving no response, she smiled softly. "Can you blame her? If anyone in my family died, even if opposing me…" she trailed off. Katie winced.

"You're dad's only just died, right?" Katie asked, her expression that of concern. The question was received with a nod. One of the first attacks, staged by opposition of the current Empress, was to cause large leftover supplies of sakuradite to explode, catching countless civilians in the blast. Brynne's mother hadn't spoken a word since the day she and her daughter received the news. It was one of those things that couldn't be assessed within the first weeks. It sank into the subconscious and tore a person apart.

The students were talking to each other a little louder by now. As the tour slowly came to a close, the strictness of the teachers would wane as the impatience of everyone else grew. It was a long walk, covering so many dozens of emperors.

At least, it had been a chance for the students to get out of not only their school, but Japan as well. All the way back to the staple of the Britannian Empire, right near the remains of the Holy Capital Pendragon. All around the crater, a city was growing. However, no one dared to even set food within the Britannian Ground Zero. It was dreadfully superstitious, but never the less, it was how people sought comfort in things: avoidance.

And, finally, they reached the end of the Mausoleum. "There it is," Brynne muttered. "The tomb of the 99th Emperor."

"Eerie, isn't it? He died only seven years ago."

"His tomb is the only one without decoration." Besides this, it was still grand. The tomb was a large wall of marble, engraved with elegant, intricate patterns. On both sides of the mural were the dual entrances, and behind that lay the actual resting place. Brynne took a good, long look. What a reckless man, his elaborate scheme ending so badly. He had the world on a string and lost it within months.

Katie looked over the mural. "It's exquisite, though. To be buried in a place like this? Oh, only a luxury belongs to those of royal blood!" She swooned dramatically and leaned against her companion, who frowned.

Brynne pushed her friend away. "It's not all it's cut out for, I'm sure." One last look at the tomb, and they would be back on a jet to school. The tour guide continued droning on about history that everyone already knew. Many of the students were even within the vicinity of the famed events. Never the less, it could be so quickly turned into one elaborate tale, and was.

Within the dark of one of the dual entrances, something glittered. Biting her lip, Brynne began to move through the crowd. Startled, Katie grabbed onto her arm.

"Where are you going?" Katie whispered urgently.

"There was something, back there."

"…Decoration?" Her friend's tone became a little more frantic. The tour guide finished his speech. The crowd of students began to move.

Brynne huffed. "There is no decoration on this tomb."

"So? I-I mean, Bry, we're not allowed to go back into the tomb!" Katie gave her friend one last desperate tug, but Brynne wrenched her arm free and ran off. "Wait!"

The first thing that Brynne noticed about the tomb was that it was dark. Impossibly dark. Unnaturally dark. An eerie chill sank into her bones, her uniform doing little to help. It took several moments for her to make out the faint line of the marble sarcophagus. Within it lie the remains of Lelouch vi Britannia. The entire thing was surreal.

Something on top of the very sarcophagus reflected light, nonexistent light, and disappeared. Squinting against the darkness, Brynne moved forward slowly, her arms outstretched. She would just run her fingers across the marble lid, and if she found nothing, she would leave. It seemed logical enough.

Her fingers touched the heavy stone lid.

"_Awakened me so soon?"_

Blue. Orange. Green. White. Dark. The faint sound of an explosion in the— light glinting off of a mask. Flooding feelings of elation, of pain. Blue. Orange. Green. White. Dark. Faces smeared with blood against— cheering of names, victorious. A strange, foreign symbol in the distance. Falling through an unimaginable void.

Brynne fell back onto the ground, her head reeling. She scrambled to her feet.

"Bry, are you alright?" Katie asked, concerned.

"What?" Soft sheets rustled between her fingers. There was a plain ceiling, walls elegantly painted, and light cast about the room. "I'm at the hotel…"

"Well, duh," Katie snorted.

_Strange._ Brynne slid off of the bed and walked slowly over to the window. It was dark out, small glittering lights of windows contrasting against the night sky. Thunderclouds loomed ominously over the city, streaking the window with water. Brynne's gaze narrowed.

"We didn't go home, I'm guessing they postponed our return due to the storm?"

Katie blinked, rather confused. "Yeah, they said so on the bus."

"I guess they did. Well, anyway, I better get to bed." She pushed the day's experiences to the back of her mind. Whatever that was, she would look into it tomorrow.


	2. The Envelope

"So, where did you go, anyway? You know, when you ran off?" Katie inquired. She was sitting on the bed opposite of Brynne's, wiggling her bare toes absently. Thunder reverberated through the hotel's foundation, and the unrest could be heard through the walls. It was almost morning, and not a glimmer of light had managed to slip through the oppressive clouds above.

Brynne pursed her lips. "I just went back to see what it was. It was just a coin. I didn't take it with me." She stared out the window. "Say, what time did I get back?"

Katie tilted her head. "You were gone only for a minute. Is something wrong? Did you fall and hit your head? Oh no, a concussion. I better tell the tea—"

"No, it's alright. I was just tired."

And it was back to silence. _I can't go back and investigate what ever it was today, the rain's far too heavy,_ Brynne thought. _The Mausoleum is probably closed. Then again, it may just be rather empty. I have some questions that need to be answered._ The teachers had made it very clear that no one was to leave their room until the rain cleared up. This would prove troublesome if further actions were to be taken.

She looked back to Katie. As loyal a friend as ever, that girl was. And according to Katie this loyalty was a trait of blondes. Several dog jokes later, they had made a pact with each other; if one needed help, no matter the reason, the other would be there and ready.

"Hey, Katie, could you do me a favor?" Brynne moved over to the edge of the bed and slipped her feet into her sneakers. "I need to go back to the Mausoleum. Make sure no one knows I'm gone, yeah?"

"Uh, I guess. Did you forget something?"

Brynne frowned. "You could say that." Her friend's expression was that of genuine concern, but she didn't say anything against it.

"Just get back before lunch, okay?"

"Alright. I wouldn't keep you worried," Brynne replied.

It had some careful planning to navigate through the halls of the hotel without being spotted. As troublesome a task as it was, it took very little time to leave and continue on her way. She clung to her umbrella as the rain beat down. If there was one thing that she was sure of, it was that the rain was without a doubt unnatural. _And what qualifies unnatural rain?_ she wondered. It was a thought worth a chuckle.

The streets were practically empty, filled instead with the haze of growing mist crept over pavement. It made the air thick and rather difficult to breathe, but Brynne did her best to pay it no mind. She just needed to make it to the Mausoleum after it opened, but before the crowds began to arrive. The flashlight in her right hand would prove useful against the darkness of the tomb.

It was barely ten minutes before she arrived at her destination. Lights surrounding the Mausoleum cut through the dark of the storm clouds; the Mausoleum was open. Brynne entered quickly, wincing against the brightly lit marble halls that contrasted so greatly with the world outside. Closing her umbrella, she called out, "Is there any staff out there? I forgot something near one of the tombs and would like some help retrieving it!" She did her best to appear coy, even helpless. After all, getting into one of the tombs would be easier if she looked harmless.

As she suspected, a man ran from behind a service counter at the front of the Mausoleum over to her. His build was tall and fragile; he worked here with no other place to go. Brynne smiled. Easy prey.

"I had a phone charm that I just adored!" she said, pouting. "I got knocked over and it must have broken off and rolled into the tomb of the 99th Emperor, because I haven't been able to find it anywhere!"

"Oh, that must be terrible," was the response. Obligatory. Looking down, Brynne began to twiddle her thumbs.

"You see, I really need to get that charm back. It was a present from my father. He… died. A few weeks ago." The helpless maiden act. It was received with a whimper of uncertainty.

Then, finally, "A-alright, I'll let you go get it, but please try not to lose it again, okay?" The expression on the man's face told her that it wasn't exactly Mausoleum policy to let people back into the tombs. Not that that was an issue any longer.

"Escort me there?"

In all, the man said nothing, but simply glanced around nervously every few minutes, like a wild animal fearing the pursuit of their predator. _How dreary,_ Brynne thought. _He's more frightened of losing his job than anything else?_ The quiet was growing uncomfortable.

"Say," Brynne began. "If visitors really aren't allowed back into the tombs, then what is the process for the decorations?"

The man remained silent for a moment longer, then responded. "You have to bring decorations to the front desk. They're taken to the tombs from there."

"And the late Emperor Lelouch vi Britannia's tomb is not allowed such decoration?"

"N-no, it's just… Aha, here we are. Let me accompany you back there, so you don't trip over anything, alright?" He was nervous, there was no doubt. Brynne saw no reason to deny him control over the situation. She nodded and smiled.

Before any other words could be said, a loud banging began to resonate through the marble. The man yelped, alarmed, his hands flying to his mouth. Brynne winced. "It's coming from the tomb," she stated blandly.

"D-did someone get stuck within the sarcophagus? A hooligan?" he muttered. The words were more of a reassurance to himself than anything else. After a moment of mutters, Brynne set off into the tomb, dragging him along. The banging was indeed coming from within the white sarcophagus, accompanied by faint yells. She placed her hands against the edges of the heavy stone cover and motioned for the man to do the same. Unnerved, he complied. Together they slowly forced the lid to the side.

Dust flew into the air. A frightening smack of thunder knocked something over right outside of the exit, making the man yelp from fear once more. He scrambled over to take care of whatever had fallen, leaving Brynne staring after him.

She looked back to the sarcophagus. Hoisting herself up onto the ridge, she peered down into what was an empty coffin, occupied only by dust and cloth.

The rain had stopped, leaving the sky a hazy overcast that dulled the sun's light. Brynne carried her umbrella at her side, walking slowly through the puddles that were all that remained of the storm. The faint buzz of commerce echoed across the street. She'd be back a little before lunch.

Still, Brynne wasn't entirely sure about what had happened at the Mausoleum. It had happened so fast; if there really had been someone in the sarcophagus, they had likely slipped out and into the darkness of the rest of the tomb when the lightning hit.

Upon entering her hotel room, she spotted Katie, as usual, but also someone else. Someone far less usual and, judging by the circumstances, far less pleasant.

"Miss Elaina... did you need anything?" Brynne asked cautiously. The woman, a teacher who had a very perturbed expression, arched an eyebrow.

"But of course, Miss Clavet. Were you off to the bathroom in your rain jacket and boots? I'm guessing that the umbrella was just a precaution," Elaina Daughtry responded. Brynne turned a faint shade of red. "We're leaving tonight, so I expect that you won't prove troublesome if you don't want to miss the jet. Am I right?"

A nod, and the teacher left. Rubbing her nose, Brynne shot Katie a look.

"Hey, it's not my fault!" her friend whined. "She just barges in here and throws pillows about. What was I supposed to do?"

Brynne frowned. "I suppose you're right. It's not like it was your fault, anyway. That woman just seems to know things."

Despite this, Elaina was one of the favored instructors, as she rarely ever actually got someone in trouble. Instead, she sent perpetrators quaking in their boots.

Sleep was difficult, and when Brynne lost herself in the throws of her dreams, they were faint and distant. She had convinced herself that the occurrence in the Mausoleum was not something to dwell on, but dwell her mind did. The stench of the dust, the thickness of the dark, the ringing of the thunder. It was also peculiar that the rain cleared up right after the little event and taken place. It was doubtful that there was a relation, but all the same.

And when she did truly slip into dreaming, they were erratic and nonsensical, just like the vision she had had when first touching the sarcophagus. It gave her something to think about on the plane ride home.

Brynne brought very little onto the plain with her. She just had a sketchpad, a pencil, and a very befuddled memory. Boarding the jet, she found her seat near the back, with a window that she expected would remain closed. Katie was somewhere far away, near the front, and while this offered quiet it lacked in comfort.

"Hey, your name's Brynne, right?"

She looked up to see a young boy, only a little older than she, staring down at her. Before any more words could be exchanged, he plunked down in the seat next to hers. The boy extended a hand.

"Allan Spacer. I'm in some of your classes, but I haven't really had a chance to talk to you."

Brynne responded with a troubled expression. "Why would you want to talk to me?" she asked, without moving to shake his hand. Allan lowered his hand awkwardly.

"I'm not entirely sure," he said. "You just seemed rather interesting. Is that a good excuse?"

"Better than most."

"Great!"

They both remained in silence for the rest of the flight, sans the few attempts of conversation that Allan attempted to spark. Each time, there was a blatant avoidance in Brynne's unchanging tone. He decided it would be better to try again later. "Well, nice to meet you, miss Brynne," he said as he exited the plane, sighing dejectedly soon after.

Katie caught up with Brynne. "So who was _that?_" she trilled.

Brynne watched as he walked away. "Allan Spacer. Any ideas?"

This information received a gasp. "Oh, Bry, do you have taste! He's the son of a duke, and he's rolling in dough."

"I don't quite see your point. Besides, he's the one that approached me. It's not like I'm all that interested. Why me, anyway? I'm sure he'd get any girl in the school on those facts alone. Noble born go for noble born; it's so strange, I have nothing but a penny to my name. I guess I just don't see the allure." _He also talks a bit too much. I guess when you're nobility you don't have as many restraints. _

Katie shrugged. "Whatever, I'm sure you'll be dating in no time. I'll see you later, okay?"

Traveling home didn't take that long. Brynne's house was in walking distance of the airport, so she arrived within minutes. She opened the door and entered.

"Mom, I'm ho—"

"Hello, dear… This man is here about your father's last will and testament."

At the table sat a broad shouldered individual, donning dark sunglasses, a suit, and a stern expression. Brynne's gaze narrowed. He smelled of the military: Clean, sterile, and disgusting. He acted rushed, and yet like he could spend all of the time in the world in their house. Before him was a stack of peculiar envelopes of varying sizes.

Without a word, he withdrew one and held it out towards Brynne. She didn't touch it.

"This is for you, it's some of his research," her mother said. "He wanted you to have it."

"Yeah, I'm sure," she muttered, and snatched the envelope from the man's pale fingers.

Her mother furrowed her brow. "I apologize for my daughter, she's just a little shaken by her father's death."

"It's alright, Miss Joan," the man droned eerily. "You know how teenagers are."

"Whatever," Brynne spat, and ran upstairs to her room.

She tossed the envelope onto her bed and tore it open, pulling out its contents. Letters, documents, pictures, all of it was a complete mystery. No matter how many times she read over each piece, trying to retain at least one bit of information. All she knew was that he continually obsessed over some ancient power, mystical, legendary. In truth, it went over her head. Brynne was not the superstitious type.

A loud _bang_ rang out from the lower floor. Startled, she dropped the papers and stuffed them back into the crisp, green envelope. "Mom?" she said loudly, running down the stairs. She slid to a stop at the bottom, crying out in terror.

Slumped over the table was the man, his blood painting the wood a horrifying shade of red; her mother, Joan, was backed into the kitchen, trembling. In the doorway stood several soldiers, guns high. The tallest one stood in front with his hands behind his back, with a smug, almost sickening look on his face. There was something oddly familiar about his face, but she couldn't place it.

Causally, the military man removed his pistol from its holster and pointed it at Brynne's face. Joan let out a small moan of terror.

"The envelope. The green one. This man was delivering a batch of envelopes to this address, and we know we are not wrong. So where is it?" he barked, cocking the gun.

Brynne bit her lip, careful to keep her mind clear. She slowly put her hands in the air and moved over to her mother's side. The gun was trained on her, unwavering, even when she reached Joan and clasped her mother's hands in her own.

_My best guess is that he's referring to the one that was left for me,_ Brynne thought. _Not the best situation, but lying always helped. _

"He told us that the envelope was in an undisclosed location and would be delivered at a later date," Brynne said, her tone unwavering. Her mother squeezed her fingers. The military man raised an eyebrow. "Not that you'd be getting it. Twitchy trigger finger and all."

This made him frown. In retrospect, it wasn't quite the most diplomatic choice of words. Out of spite, they'd be dead, when they could have just complied. _So why do those documents matter so much?_

Her gaze shot to the pots and pans hanging in the kitchen. Just a moment's distraction, that's all she needed. Slowly, she slid her fingers around a fork on the kitchen counter and looked towards her mother.

In one swift movement, Brynne launched the fork towards the soldiers. They scattered. Before it could lodge in the wall behind them, Brynne unhooked the rack of pots and threw it at them as well. They clanged loudly and distractingly, throwing the men into disarray. Brynne grabbed her mother's arm and pulled her towards the back door. They ran out of the house and down several alleyways, before her mother pulled her to a stop.

"They're following us," Joan panted. "We have to split up."

Brynne opened her mouth to protest, but her mother as already gone down the other direction. She couldn't waste any more time, and kept running. The shouts of soldiers were evident at her back. She ran until her legs were almost numb, threatening to give way at any moment. Right, left, left.

"..No, no, no, no!" she cried, falling to her knees. A dead end. The shouts of the military were louder, louder. Brynne searched the walls frantically. The light in the alley was extremely dim, casting shadow after shadow all across the way, but in her school uniform she would do no good to blend. Horrible, horrible, this was all horrible.

The soldiers lined up at the entrance to the alleyway. _What about mother? Did they find her, too?_

The military man signaled for them to raise their guns. _There's no way out of this, is there?_

A man stepped out of the shadows, stopping square in front of Brynne. He was no taller than she, covered in dark cloth. The soldiers were just as surprised as she was.

"Tch," the military man frowned, and pulled out his pistol. Three shots, all to the chest, and the strange man buckled to the ground.

"You… killed him," Brynne said slowly, staring at the crumpled form before her. Bile rose in the back of her throat. She resisted the urge to vomit. "You _killed_ him." Dropping to her knees, her hands hovered above his body for a few moments. There was a fear that if she touched him the sick would take over. She was shaking, weak, feverish and stuck. And this man had just unwittingly sacrificed himself for her.

And what of her father's research? Was it really so important that it was worth killing over? She had seen the resolution in the eyes of the soldiers from the moment they had come into view. They knew that, envelope or not, they was going to be blood. Her escape had just turned the entire thing into a sport. If there was anything clear in her mind, it was that there was definitely something important, something she had to finalize. It must be why the man delivered the envelope, why he was instructed to give it directly to her. Because her father knew that she would investigate without hesitation, overrun by fervent curiosity that constantly plagued her.

He would have been right, if she hadn't been about to die.

"_And you don't want to die just yet, do you?"_ The dead man grabbed her wrist and pulled her down, a gunshot lodging itself in the wall behind where her head had just been.

Brynne's vision went blank, and then was filled with images, all different; she was bombarded with a sudden flood of emotions, feelings, and experiences. _"I hereby offer you a contract. I can give you the power to achieve your newfound goals, and in exchange, you will grant my one wish."_

Her mother, cornered, a gun at her head.

"I accept your terms of this contract!" Brynne shouted into the void.

Reality snapped back into focus. The soldiers stared, unfazed. She let her hair fall in front of her right eye, and opened her left. It glittered, embellished with a strange, foreign symbol.

"You wish to kill me?" she asked, her voice bordering on a laugh. "And what do you _see_?"

The soldiers began to look about warily, lowering their weapons. The military man's eyes widened and he shifted, frantic. Out of the corner of her eyes, Brynne could see figures, dozens of figures, each one with a gun trained on the soldiers. When she tried to focus on them, she found nothing there.

"Order your men to leave my mother alone!" she commanded. There was the faint clicking noise, and the fear in the soldiers increased. The military man fumbled for his communicator and issued the order. Brynne grinned.

"Now, go!" she shouted, and they ran haphazardly from the area. The phantoms had disappeared. In a puddle she could see that her eyes had returned to normal. Her attention turned to the dead man. "What is this?" she muttered. "I bet you would know."


	3. Regal, Stranger

A heartbeat. It took a while of searching, and many deep breaths, before Brynne located a heartbeat. Whilst searching the strange man, she had pulled back the dark cloth that obscured his face.

Such even, imperial features, and raven hair that seemed just the slightest bit too long, falling past shoulders. It took nerve to work around the blood, being careful not to get any on her fingers. Only a moment before, she had called her mother and told her to come. Brynne had no idea how far away she was, but it was no matter.

Brynne moved some of his dark hair away from his face. "What secrets do you know, I wonder."

Footsteps at the entrance of the alley. "Brynne, oh thank _goodness_!" Joan said, running over and embracing her daughter. "Oh thank goodness…"

"Mom, are you alright?" she asked, attempting to keep her mother's focus away from the fallen man. The question was received with a nod.

"Those soldiers, they just suddenly left. No idea why, but what matters is that you're alright."

"Mom, this man needs help," Brynne stated, her tone pleading. She was happy and all, overjoyed to be reunited with her mother, but while it appeared the strange man's blood was no longer flowing it could not lessen the fact that he was injured. Joan looked him over.

It took quite the load of maneuvering to get the man back into their home. Joan laid him down upon their couch and cleared the cloth, dampened with blood, away from his chest to reveal the wounds. She sent Brynne off to get bandages and disinfectant.

After the careful removal of the bullets and bandaging of his chest, Brynne pulled her mother aside.

"You do realize there's a dead man in our kitchen, right?" she said. Her mother smiled weakly.

"I'll take care of that, you just tend to our guest, all right?" Brynne blinked, but nodded and returned to where the unconscious man lay. She pulled over a chair.

"What a mystery you are," she muttered. _What do I do when he wakes up? Ask his name, or what he was doing? And what if he wants to leave? He may be a little bothered by the fact that he took several bullets. Mother would know what to expect._

Only after several hours had passed since he took the first bullet did the man slip back into consciousness. He awoke to find a young woman with short, light brown hair standing over him, frying pan held high. Shielding his eyes against the brightness of the room, he sat up slowly, attempting to get his bearings. Then, he looked down at his bandaged chest.

"Dying so soon, after just having been awakened?" he said, chuckling. Brynne huffed, hefting her frying pan high.

"What's your name?" she demanded.

The man looked her over. "How do you like that power I've given you?"

"I asked you a question. Don't think I won't hesitate to smack you back to the homeland."

"Britannian, as I thought. How ironic."

"Stop dodging my questions! Ugh, this is infuriating! Why where you in that alleyway?"

He grinned. "To repay you."

"For what? Screw, I give up," she cursed, dropping the frying pan and slumping down onto the chair. She took the chance to examine him more thoroughly through the corner of her eye. Raven hair down to, and slightly past, his shoulders. Violet eyes. Regal features.

"L.L."

"What?" Brynne looked up, raising an eyebrow.

"What you may call me. L.L."

She scoffed. "What kind of a name is that?" There was no reply. "Stay here, I have to go check on something."

Brynne moved back into the kitchen to find her mother and another woman hauling the dead man out the door. Several things ran through Brynne's mind, most of which boiling down to a simple _What the hell?_

"Oh, hello sweetheart!" her mother said cheerily. Brynne stared at the corpse.

She said slowly, "You got the neighbors to clear a dead body?"

The neighbor smiled. "I owed Joan a favor. It's nice to see you again, Brynne dear. My, you've grown!"

Joan was naturally social, very unlike her daughter, but the span of that particular skill never ceased to amaze. One wonders what kind of a favor would merit the disposal of a dead body.

"…Anyway," Brynne said, "our guest is awake. Have fun."

She returned to the back room and leaned against the doorframe. No words were exchanged for a while, the two of them descending into an invisible battle of wits. Which one would break the silence first? Brynne grabbed the remote and tossed it to the man.

"You're a mystery to me," she stated. "Watch tele, if you fancy. If not, I guess that's your loss. I'm not in the mood to babysit you." And with that, she left, retreating back to her room.

The files were still on her bed, untouched. She sat in front of her mirror and observed as a foreign symbol unfolded within her own iris. Taking one of the many images from within the envelope, she held it up beside her head.

As she suspected, the two symbols were identical. "So this is what you wanted to learn about, is it?" Brynne muttered. The one in her eye disappeared.

Brynne closed her door, turning the lock, and turned on the shower, removing her clothes and stepping into the warm water. She let the steam clear her mind. _I have to figure this out. What all of this has to do with anything. _

_Those soldiers from earlier knew about what was in the envelope, I'd bet. No doubt they wanted to get their hands on it. But why? For the information inside? No, that kind of knowledge would have to be fully realized before they knew its relevancy. Perhaps they wished to get rid of the files? Such research seems like a stain that any self-respecting nobleman would wish to wipe away. _

_But such actions being taken under the new government? Doubtful that the true officials knew of this, and what was being done about it. That rules out a criminal element. _

Joan called up the stairs, "What do you want for dinner?"

"I don't care," Brynne shouted back. "Whatever you want. Why not ask our guest?"

_I've heard of unrest within the Britannian government relating to the new attitude it has installed. Supporters of the old government have been digging their heels at best, and full on rebelling at worst. The dates on the files suggest that the research was done before the wars with Japan really kicked in, so they probably would want to erase all of the negativity practiced during the reign of some former Vice Roy to justify their push for a return to the older ways. _

Brynne turned off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. _It would be best not to dwell on this further,_ she thought. She dressed, donning her unders, some shorts and a t-shirt, and proceeded downstairs. As she passed L.L., she commented, "Have my mother get you some new clothes. Being draped in cloth isn't quite as stylish as it seems."

He smirked.

Joan ensured that L.L. had a comfortable makeshift bed on the couch, and the household went to sleep. Brynne lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling.

"What a day," she mumbled. She still didn't know what to make of the entire thing. _No matter,_ she thought. _I'll just ask that man again tomorrow. Possibly with more answers this time. Or perhaps I could get mother to use her social charms. She does have a way with words, after all._ When she finally did sleep, it was dreamless, empty, almost like an endless void in which her mind was lost. To awaken from such a place made her feel, if anything, relieved. Brynne could hear movement outside of her room; the other two people in the house were awake. The smell of eggs and waffles crept under her door.

She slid out of bed and moved over to her closet, withdrawing her school uniform.

"Brynne!"

Unlocking the door, Brynne opened it barely and peered down the stairs. "Yes?" she called back.

"Make sure that you don't forget anything! Your lunch is on the counter!"

"Alright, mom!"

Turning back to her closet, she began to remove her shirt.

The door opened. Brynne glanced over, expecting her mother, but instead found L.L. She slammed the door in his face. "Privacy!" Brynne yelled. Through the door, she heard him chuckle.

The rest of the morning was consistently aggravating, as Brynne did her best to avoid the man. Her mother noticed that, but said nothing. It was a courtesy.

When she finally did head off to school, she ensured that he didn't follow her to the Academy. The last thing she needed was questions from her peers. Besides that, Joan had planned to get him some clothes. It would be difficult for her to do such if he was in a whole other area.

Upon her arrival, the first thing Brynne saw was Katie conversing with Allan Spacer. Not wanting any unnecessary attention, she did her best to skirt around the two of them without being noticed. It was to no avail.

"Brynne, hey!" Katie called. Brynne winced and turned around slowly.

"Hey."

"So Allan here was talking about how he has tickets to a concert that's after school today. Three of 'em. You're totally invited."

Brynne raised an eyebrow. "Am I now?" Allan fidgeted, smiling nervously. It was clearly a ploy to give Allan an attempt at socializing with Brynne, transparent and desperate as it was. However, it was something that would keep her away from the mysterious man her house had recently become shelter for.

A shrill ring cut through the air. Relieved, Brynne promptly ran off to class, before a conformation of her attendance to the concert was demanded.

The day was uneventful up until lunch, when a sudden earthquake tore under the school. Over the intercom came chilling words.

"This school, and everyone in it, is hereby the hostages of the Britannian Insurgence! Submit and you will be spared!"

_Britannian terrorists._


End file.
